Irrigating system.



PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

J. B. BISHOP.

IRRIGATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.3,1906.

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JESSE E. BISHOP, OF ALTON, MISSOURI.

IRRIGATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Application filed December 3, 1906. Serial No. 346,104.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JESSE E. BISHOP, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alton, in the county of Qregon, State 01 Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Irrigating Systems; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to irrigating systems and has for its primaryobject to provide a system of this class which will be entirelyautomatic in its operation. That the system is automatic is due to theemployment of check valves which are located in certain of the branchpipes where such pipes extend into a hollow or valley, one of the checkvalves being placed at the upper por- The float valves are intended toprevent back flow of water in the branch pipes and into the main supplyin case the water supply should be exhausted or fall, these valvessubserving this function where the portion of the branch pipe adjacentthe main supply pipe is inclined upwardly in a direction from the mainsupply. The function of the check valves is to prevent the flow of waterto the depressed portions of the I branch pipes when the pressure due tothe head of water falls below a predetermined amount.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the system,portions being broken away, and, Fig. 2 is a detail verticallongitudinal sectional view through one of the branch pipes showing thearrangement of the float and check valves therein. Fig. 3 is a detailvertical sectional view through one of the main supply and branch pipesat their point of junction showing the construction and manner ofmounting the float valves.

As shown in the drawings the-system embodying my invention comprises amain supply pipe 5 and a secondary supply pipe 6 which extendssubstantially parallel with the main supply pipe and is connectedtherewith by means of branch pipes 7, these pipes being located at suchdistance apart that the land over which the system extends will beevenly treated and it is to be understood that any kind of pipe may beemployed such for example as ordinary metal pipes, tiles, or conduitsand that the pipes may be of any size desired.

The numeral 8 denotes a supply tank which is of course to be filled withwater and which has communication with the main supply pipe by way of apipe 9. A pipe 10 also communicates with the pipe 5 at the point ofjunction of the pipe 9 therewith and at this point there is located athree-way globe valve 11 which may be operated to admit water eitherfrom the tank 8 or a natural source of supply tl'n'ough the pipe 10, itbeing understood that the natural source may be utilized under ordinaryconditions but that when the supply is exhausted temporarily either byevaporation in very hot weather or from other causes the tank 8 may beutilized.

In order that connection may be had between the main supply pipe 5 andthe branch pipes 7, short branches 12 lead from the un der side of themain supply pipe 5, at points where it is desirable to locate the branchpipes and each ol' these branches 12 is flanged as at 13. for connectionwith a flange 14 formed at the corresponding end ol" the correspondingbranch pipe, this end of each branch pipe being turned upwardly as at15. The flange 14 upon the branch pipe extends not only outwardly of thepipe but also inwardly to such an extent that an opening 16 resultswhich opening is of less diameter than the pipe itself and formed withinthe pipe slightly below this opening are lugs 17 upon which rests afloat valve 18. As heretofore stated the function of these float valvesis to prevent back flow of water from the branch pipes into the mainsupply pipe in cases where the portions ol the branch pipe adj acent themain supply pipe are inc ined u wardly in a direction from the main suppy and at such times when the head of water falls below a predeterminedamount.

In the pipes 5 and 6 opposite to the tank 8 there are located valves 20and 21 respectively which may be opened to drain the system.

As most land to be irrigated is hilly or at best uneven, I have found itexpedient to employ in the branch pipes 7 which extend over such land,check valves 22. These valves are spring controlled and are positionedat the upper ends of bends in the branch pipes where such bonds arenecessary to lead the branch pipes across a valley or hollow and thevalves are so positioned in the pipes that they are adapted to open in adirection toward each other and as a consequence, when the head of waterfalls below the pre- I tions which is of course desirable and necessary.

The utility of the check valves will be readily apparent if it beconsidered that were not these valves provided the water would flow fromthe main pipes 5 and 6 into the lower or depressed portions of the pipes7 and the lower ortions of the land irrigated more thoroughy than thehigher portions owing to the fact that practically the full head of thewater is established within .the said depressed portions of the pipes.By the provision of the valves however and the springs for holding thevalves normally to their seats, a redetermined head of water must beestab ished in the portions of the branch pipes between the valvestherein and the main supply pipes before the valves will open and whenthey do move to open position, there will still be a greater head of thelower portions of the land be irrigated to as great a degree as theupper portions.

What is claimed is A system of the class described comprising a supplyconduit, branch conduits leading.

from the supply conduit, a float valve located at the point of junctionof each branch conduit with the supply conduit, and spring controlledcheck valves interposed in certain of said branch conduits, said checkvalves being so positioned as to prevent the flow of water to thedepressed portion of said conduits when the head of water falls below apredetermined amount.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JESSE E. BISHOP.

WVitnesses:

O. S. GoHN, H. R. CULP.

